Caught on Fire
by balfonheim
Summary: a k u r o k u ! Love is friendship caught on fire. For Nobodies, it's not love that spreads like flames. Rated M for language.


**author's notes: **So I kind of promised myself that I'd come back to fanfiction at one point. And then I got KH2 and I loved Akuroku immediately. My own representation of the pairing.

**disclaimer: **The characters and places in this story do not belong to me; however, the actual writing is my own.

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**Caught on Fire  
**_By pingpong867_

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Once in a while, one of those... _things_ happens. Hits you like a load of bricks; BOOM with a capital "B." Roxas was one of those things. Not usual - not for a Nobody. I mean, he used these fucking ginormous keys to fight, which is enough to label him as a freak in our circle. But dude, I am one with outcasts. Fire and keys - not exactly harmonious, but they don't conflict either.

No one else really liked him - I think they knew a little bit more that I ever did, but maybe I just chose to ignore a lot about him. I remembered the most important things - who he was and who he came from and that special thing about him that made him unique. And like those bricks, without even noticing it, I was drawn to him like a moth to flame. And I have nothing against fire.

Roxas would ask me sometimes why people said Nobodies didn't have hearts. What was a heart anyway? What did having a heart feel like? He asked me because I sometimes remembered a passing thought, a fleeting view of that person who created me when they lost their heart. Neither of us could really say, though, what was going on between us because what did a Nobody really know about relationships and emotions? We heart plenty of rumors among the Organization, but nothing solid or concrete. Nothing that could explain what was happening between me and Roxas.

* * *

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, every bit of the kid that he was. I mean, most of the time I felt like a complete bastard around him, even though I was only a handful of years older than him. He wasn't bothered by our age difference.

"How weird you are. Seriously. Odd with a capital 'O.'" Roxas frowned and pouted, and I grinned maniacally.

"Fag," Roxas grunted, and I shook my head and laughed.

"So that makes you my partner in sin, doesn't it?" He pouted and it was irresistibly cute. And emo. "Gawd, Roxas, chillax. Cheer up, emo kid."

Roxas didn't like that word at all, so I made a point of using it as often as possible. "What did you call me?"

"Emo. EEMOO. E-M-O. Got it memorized?" I laughed deliciously and he walked away in a huff.

* * *

"What would you say constitutes a best friend? About all I remember is the word. And there's a face, but it's nowhere near familiar." Roxas shrugged and leaned back against the wall nonchalantly. Ha. Trying to be cool like me. Stupid kid.

"All I can figure is that a best friend is the person you trust the most. Care about. Well, we can't care, but I'd call you my best friend. I guess you're pretty important to me, but I'm not quite sure yet..."

"Jackass. Of course I'm important to you. Why else would you stick around me and not **_Larxene_**?" Roxas teased. I raised my eyebrows and he smirked at how uncomfortable I looked. Yeah, Larxene was the only female in Organization XIII, but hey, I didn't quite... go that way. 'Course, I wasn't interested in those nasty guys - never Xemnas or Xigbar or Xaldin or Marluxia (maybe Demyx on a good day). I was more Roxasexual - he was the only one I was remotely interested in, though I'd _never _tell him. "Axel? You in Lala Land?" Roxas asked, kicking me straight out of my reverie. "Thinking about getting into Larxene's tight black outfit?" No, but definitely fantasizing about getting into the pants of another blond...

"Shut up, Roxas. You're too young and innocent to even be thinking about that, kid. Stop being such a stupid virgin," I teased, and Roxas stared indignantly back at me.

"And you've had more experience? Fuck Mr. Mansex lately? Xemnas seems to be angry that you hang with me. Aww... are you sleeping around to up your number from VIII to II? I'm not that desperate, you know, so I don't have to bang our superiors."

"Are you trying to piss me off?" I growled.

"And succeeding," Roxas replied cheekily.

* * *

It was always dark in The World That Never Was, but it didn't really rain much. The weather kind of sucked as far as variety goes, but when we got rain, most of the Organization would celebrate. I wouldn't - I deplore rain. My hair would frizz, poof, and turn into a fro, so my hood would remain firmly on my head. Roxas, though, would throw his head back and catch the rain on his tongue, his hair plastered to his face.

I was sick for thinking about him as anything more than my friend.

I watched him from beneath my hood, leaning against cool red brick. He acted like the fifteen-year-old he was, and nothing could be more alluring. Oh, I'd burn for this - but I knew fire. No fear. But I couldn't be thinking like this.

"Axel, you alright? You look like you've just been stabbed or something," Roxas said, walking over to me. I was thinking frantically, _'Get away get away get away,_' but subconsciously I think I may have been saying, _'Come closer, kid. Test me. I dare you_.'

"Yeah, I'm good," I said, but it came out as nothing more than a hoarse whisper. He came closer. Shit, he looked dangerous. Like he knew _exactly_ what he was doing. His blue eyes were sparkling evilly and _fuck _I wanted to throw him down and erase all his goddamned_ innocence_. My breath hitched; I clenched my fists in my leather gloves and _prayed_ he'd leave me the fuck_ alone_.

I was never the luckiest son of a bitch.

"Yo, Axel, what's up with you?" Roxas approached. Stood next to me. I couldn't respond. Just stared darkly at him. "You okay, Axel? Breathing?" I shook my head as my breath hissed out of my nostrils. "What's up?"

I swallowed the thickness in my throat. "You need to get away from me. Now. Please."

And it dawned on Roxas, finally, what I meant. He stared in shock at me for a minute. Then cocked his brow quizzically. Stepped towards me. Oh _fuck_. "Xemnas says we don't have hearts, Axel."

I tried to breathe. No happening. "Hearts have nothing to do with lust, kid. First thing you gotta know is that lust is not one of those things that Nobodies can't feel." Undeniably, Roxas knew my intentions now. But he didn't step away.

"Seriously, Axel? All this time...?" I just stared right back at him. "_Really_?" Nodded. "So, if I... maybe..." He came another step closer to me. So close. I couldn't remember the last time I'd taken a breath. His gloved hand cautiously came up to my cheek. _'Shit shit shit shit shit_' - my mantra. Shorter than me, he had to take another step towards me. His other hand pushed my hood back, unleashing my unruly red hair. My eyes were wide, frantic. _'Fuck, he's a fucking kid and I can't fucking _' - and then my thoughts just stopped.

His breath in my face. Hesitant. Then the softness of his lips - warm and supple and damn, I can't help it when my arms wrap around him and I part his lips with my tongue, pushing into him, dueling, craving, and it's raining and my hair is horrible, but fuck this is great. "Roxas," I breathe when we pull back for air, and we're right back to an electric connection that I have no desire to stop. Sin, sin, pure sin but I'll rot in hell for an eternity for just a second more.

He's a deer in headlights and I'm a drunk driver - he's clueless, I'm charged and there's nothing but a mess later. "Axel, we can't do this. What'll Xemnas say? Won't he flip out? They could kiss us, Axel!" And the moment was cracked... I pulled my hood back over my head.

"They wouldn't kiss you, kid; they need you. Me, on the other hand? Well, I'd go down fighting," I said flippantly, then disappeared.

* * *

He was always good at finding me when I was in a bad mood. He said it was because I'd leave burnt trashcans and huge gashes where the Chakrams would hit. If he had a heart - if either of us had one - I'd think it was something else, but... oh well. Neither of us had hearts, so I was counting chickens before I'd even picked up the eggs.

"Axel, could you chill a minute? We need to talk." I heard his voice before I'd even noticed he was there. I whirled on him and gave him a wry smile, twirling my Chakrams and feeling more adrenaline pumping to my brain. I wanted to fight, damnit. "Seriously, I don't want to fight you. Talk with me, Axel."

I raised my eyebrows and rolled my eyes. "Sorry, but I have the completely_ icky_ inclination to beat you into the ground. I dunno. Don't really want to talk." I bent and went into my fighting stance, moving my arms and getting the right grip on the Chaks.

Roxas frowned at me and crossed his arms over his chest. "Gimme a break, Axel. I don't want to fight you." I scowled and stepped forward challengingly. He still didn't pull out the keys. "I want to know what's going on, damnit." I still wasn't moved. "Shit, Axel, didn't you _feel _that" I want to _talk _to you, not freak out on you."

I let my Chakrams disappear and sent a glare his way. I ducked into one of the empty buildings - there were all empty in this place - and pulled my hood back. Gloves were pulled off and I ran my fingers through my messed-up red hair. "What do you want?" I inquired darkly.

"What was that back there?" Damn him and his infernal innocence.

"Kid, I don't know. You're the one who came on to me." I stared out the window, and he came up to me and put his hand on my elbow. I didn't - couldn't - look at him.

"You said Nobodies could feel lust. So it's okay? I mean, I'm not some freak if I..." I pulled my arm away from his hand.

"It's fine to feel it. But in most circles, it's frowned upon for guys to be engaging in any... activities." Shit, this is one of those awkward conversations that you_ don't _want to be taking part in with the kid who you've been fantasizing over forever. Jeez, I wouldn't even be discussing this with the ugliest guy in the world.

"Don't tell me those guys in the Organization aren't gay."

"They bang Larxene. Brag about it. She finds it flattering, the tramp."

"Have you...?"

I considered what I should say to him. The truth was that I had lost what I had of innocence to Larxene one of those times that Roxas was seriously pissing me off. But Roxas was looking for me to have gone the noble route, saving myself for something better. I knew Roxas was white as snow, and damn, that was appealing. "No," I lied. "Larxene's a whore. I'd never band that thing." Visibly, he relaxed. Had that _really _mattered to him? Damn, I was getting in _way_ too deep. "Gotta be honest with you, kid - you and I aren't exactly gonna be 'Couple of the Year' at the Organization's Christmas party. Xemnas gets word of anything happening and I'm dead. Can't be soiling your reputation, not when you're, well... never mind."

Roxas's eyes took on a strange gleam, and his mouth quirked up in a devious smirk. "I'm good at keeping secrets," he hinted. I swallowed, eyed him, looked away. I didn't give him enough credit - he was far less innocent that I would ever suspect. "Am I just being stupid here? You're probably thinking I'm a total fag..."

"You _are _a fag. But then I guess I am too." He did a double take and I silently laughed, then stopped when his hand was on my arm again. But I didn't want to look pathetic, and _come on, _he'd approached me the last time. I'm Axel, and I can't _back down _from something like _that. _Shit, you think I'd let little _Roxas _get me first? _Please._

He wasn't even prepared - I just swooped in and claimed his lips in the good old name of Axel and I was damn happy. Pinned him against that window, on that rainy day, and mauled his mouth. His hands scrabbled across the slick, wet leather of my standard black outfit, and his lips were against mine, delicious, perfect.

And I know then that Roxas is mine. Got it memorized?

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**  
author's notes: **Hope you enjoyed that! Please review, as always. I'd like to get feedback on this, because I really enjoyed writing the pairing. Thanks! 


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